Interrupter switch



K. BEER ET AL Nov. 14, 1933.

INTERRUPTER SWITCH Filed June 22, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l fig 2 Nov. 14, 1933. K. BEER ET AL INTERRUPTER SWITCH Filed June 22, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 14, 1933 PATENT oFFIcE E E'ESAWZ' INTERRUPTER SWITCH Karl Beer and Erich Klaiber, Stuttgart. and Heinrich Arnold,-Waihlingen, Germany, as-

signors to Robert Bosch Aktiengesellscliait,

Stuttgart, Germany Application iiune 22, 1931, Serial No. 546,108, and

'2 Claims.

The present invention relatesto a. mechanical device ior quickly opening and closing one or several pairs of contacts in rapid succession and more particularly for use in the starting ignition system of motor vehicles.

Known mechanism of this type operate a mov able contact through a gear wheel driven by a crank or through a circular disc having a corrugated circumference in which engages a momable contact arm having a sliding cam. These mechanisms take up a lot of space and are not convenient on the switch board of a vehicle and there is also the danger that they might be driven unintentionally. These disadvantages are slim inated according to the invention in that the part controlling the movable contact is constructed as a press button.

The invention is more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example three forms of construction of a switch according to the present invention and in which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in section of an interrupter -or make and break device controlled by a press button together with the corresponding ignition system connections,

Figure 2 is a section of the press button,

Figure 3 shows a second form of construction with cams displaced relative to each other and Figure 4 shows a third form of construction in which the press button contains a control lamp.

A metal cap 3 from which projects a press button 4 of metal is secured by rivets or screws 2 to a base plate 1. The body'5 of the hollow press button is provided on its outer side with a corrugated upper surface 6 whilst the inner wall of the hollow member is smooth and can slide on a hollow bolt 7 which is secured in the base plate. A spring 8 which forces back the press button out of the "pressed down position" in to the position of rest shown, is inserted in this bolt. Two leaf springs 10v and 11 bent up into an angle are firmly mounted on the base plateby'a. screw bolt 9. The spring 10 is provided with a metal nosepiece 12 and the spring 11 is provided with a contact 13 which co-operates with the contact 15 disposed on the angle piece or support 14. The support 14 is firmly riveted to the cap 3 but is insulated therefrom. The two springs 10 and 11 are insulated from each other at the bolt 9 through an insulation washer 16 and at that place at which the rear end of the nosepiece 12 acts on the spring 11 by a small plate 17 0! insulating material. The spring 10 is provided on its end 18 with a current connecting terminal Germany June 2'3, 1930 not shown. One end of a series resistance 19 is connected to a battery ignition device whilst the other end is connected to the metal can 3 insulated from the earth. The hand-operated make and break device (13, 15) which is connected to the ignition coil 20 through the bolt 9 and the spring 11 is -in parallel with the operating make and break device 51.

The method of operation of the switch is as follows:--In order to start the motor the press button 4 is pressed down whereby the contacts 13, 15 are closed and opened again several times and also the primary circuit of the ignition coil through the bolt 9, the coil 20, the spring 10, the press button 4, the casing 3, and the battery, it being assumed that the operating make and break device 51 is open. At the same time the series resistance 19 is earthed when the metal nosepiece 12 of the springlu contacts with the corrugated part of the metal body of the press button. If I the motor has begun to move, the press button is let back into its position of rest. The resistance 19 is thereby put into the circuit again because that part of the press button switch on which rests the metal noseplece 12 in the position of rest is coated with an insulating layer 48.

The construction according to Figure 3 is as described above with the exception that a second make and break device is provided having the contacts 21 and 22, the cam 23 of this make and break device being so displaced with regard to the cam 12 that the contacts 21, 22 always close when the contacts 13, 15 open or vice versa.

A device 01 this type can for example be used where the operating or working ignition coil and a special starting ignition coil are used for ignition when starting or for short circuiting a series resistance as in the connection in Figure 4.

In the construction shown in Figure 4, a control lamp 26 is installed in a press button 24, of insulating material, which is provided with an inspection aperture 25. The lamp is screwed into a socket 27 which has a widened extension 36 forming a corrugated wall extending beyond the threaded end 01' the lamp. This extension is lined with insulating material 28 in which a metal sleeve 29 having a contact head 30 is inserted. The free end 37 of the corrugated extension is covered on the outside up to the beginning of the corrugated portion with insulating material. The sleeve 29 can slide on a metal tube 31 which is insulatedly secured in the base of the press button, and serves as a'current lead from the sleeve 29 to the connecting terminal 32. The compression spring 8 is arranged within the sleeve and the tube 31.

The current is fed to the lamp socket through a spring 34 which carries the metal nosepiece 35 and operates the movable make and break contact 13 on the spring 38. The socket 2'? lies against a shoulder piece of the press button 24 and is carried along by this when the button is pressed down. The dynamo lighting arrangement 39 is placed in the circuit between the bolt 32, and earth. The battery 40, which can be connected to the dynamo through a relay switch, is connected to the spring 34 with the nosepiece 35 through an ignition switch 47. Further, between the spring 34 and the ignition switch 47 the ignition coil 42 is connected to the battery in series with the series resistance 43 and the make and break devce 46. A lead branches from between the series resistance 43 and the coil 42 to a spring 44 having a nosepiece 45 which rests on the insulated portion oi. the lamp socket in the position of rest of the press button. 'The coil 42 is connectedthrough the spring 38 to the contacts 13, 14 in addition to being connected to the working or operating make and break device 46. I I

In order to start the motor the press button 24 is pressed down after the ignition switch 47 has been switched on. The contacts 13, 15 are thereby closed and opened several times and the series resistance simultaneously bridged over through the cams 35 and 44 which have electric connection when the button is'pressed down so that a strong starting spark is produced, The controlling lamp 24 is illuminated'as soon as the ignition switch 47 is switched on and is only extinguished when the relay switch 41 has connected in parallel the dynamo and the battery.

We declare that what we claim is:

1. An interrupter switch comprising a press button having a corrugated shank thereon, a spring adapted to bear against said corrugated shank, a contact on said spring and a contact adapted to engage said contact on said spring upon operation of said press button.

2. An interrupter switch comprising a casing, a press button mounted in said casing, a resilient member adapted to return said press button to its position of rest, a corrugated shank on said press button, a spring adapted to bear against said corrugated shank, a spring having a contact thereon and operated by said first mentioned spring and a contact on said casing cooperating with the first mentioned contact.

3. An interrupter switch comprising a casing, a press button, mounted in said casing, resilient means to return said press button to its posi-- tion of rest, a corrugated shank of conducting material on said press button having a plain insulated portion at the free end thereof, a spring adapted to bear against the insulated portion of nection with the metallic shank of said press A said press button is operated, a second spring having a contact thereon and insulated from said first mentioned sprin a contact on said casing adapted to engage the first mentioned contact upon depression of said press button whereby the first spring is pressed upon the second to displace the latter.

4. An interrupter for interrupting a circuit a plurality of times for a single movement of a. manually operable member comprising a press button having a plurality of corrugations formed on the shank thereof, a spring for biasing said press button in one position of movement, a pair or contact elements, and a member for operating said contact elements having operative engagement with said corrugated shank, whereby when said push button is depressed said contact elements are operated a plurality of times.

5. An interrupter switch comprising a casing, a press button mounted in said casing, resilient means to return said press button to its position of rest, a corrugated shank of conducting material on said press button having a plain insulated portion at the free end thereof, a spring contact positioned-to bear against the insulated portion of said shank when the press button is in theposition of rest and upon the corrugated portion when said press button is operated, and a second spring contact positioned to normally bear against said conducting corrugated shank.

6. An interrupter switch comprising a casing, a press button mounted in said casing, resilient means to return said press buttonto its position of rest, a corrugated sleeve of conducting material surrounding the shank of said press button but insulated therefrom, said press button having a plain insulated portion at the free end thereof, a spring contact adapted to bear against the insulated portion of said shank when the press button is in the position 0! rest and upon the 15 corrugated sleeve when said press button is operated, and a second spring contact positioned to normally engage said corrugated sleeve.

'7. An interrupter switch comprising a casing,

a press button mounted in said casing, resilient means to return said press button to its position of rest, a corrugated sleeve of conducting material surrounding the shank of said press button but insulated therefrom, said press button having a hollow outer end provided with a translucent window, an indicator lamp mounted within said hollow end, one terminal of said lamp having electrical connection with said corrugated sleeve and the other terminal having an electrical conbutton, and a spring contact normally engaging said corrugated sleeve -for completing a circuit to said KARL BEER. ERIC/H KLAIBER. 35 HEINRICH ARNOLD. 

